Arch support



H. CATERINL ARCH SUPPORT.

APPLICATION HLED JULY 23,1920.

1 ,408,267 Patented Feb. 28, 1922.

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gUNITED STATES eArsNT orifice.

ROCCO CATERINI, OF ARCHIBALD, FENNSYLVANIA.

Application led July 23,

To @ZZ whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, Rocco CA'rnniNI, a citizen of the United States, residing at I Archbald, in the county of Lackawanna and State of Pennsylvania, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Arch Supports, of which the following is a speciication.

rFhis invention relates to improvements in arch supports, and it comprises an insole adapted to fit into a shoe and a pad of resilient material, such as rubber, secured to the insole and extending lengthwise thereon in position to support the tarsus and metatarsus. rlhe central portion of the pad is formed with a pocket, which opens at one side, adapted to receive inserts of various thicknesses, by means of which the elevation of the central portion of the pad may be raised or lowered. These inserts, which are preferably of molded rubber, have integral projections upon their opposite sides, and the walls of the pocket are provided with opposed recesses to receive these projections, whereby, when one of the inserts is placed in the pocket, it is held against displacement by the interlocking projections and recesses.

ln the accompanying drawing, which illustrates the invention,

Fig. l is a top perspective view of one of the arch supports;

Fig. 2 is a side elevation of the same;

Fig. 8 is a section on the line 3-3 of Fig. 2;

Fig. 4f is a perspective view of an insert for the central part of the support;

Fig. 5 is a similar View of an insert for the forward part of the support; and

Fig. 6 is a section on thev line 6-6 of Fig. 2.

Referring to the drawing, A indicates an insole adapted to be inserted in a shoe, B indicates a pad secured upon the insole, C indicates an insert adapted to fit into a central pocket in the pad, and D indicates an insert adapted to fit under the forward part of the pad. The pad B, as shown in the drawing, is composed of two layers l and 2, of cushioning material, preferably rubber, these layers extending longitudinally of the insole and being secured thereto by pegs j? 79. The lower layer 1 is shorter than the upper layer and extends along the central portion of the insole. The end 2b of the upper layer extends forward on the insole into position to support the metatarsus.

Specification of Letters Patent.

192e. serial no. 398,471.

The layers l and 2 are separated at the central portion of the pad to form a pocket e, which opens at the thicker side of the pad and which is adapted to receive a flattened insert C. As shown by the sectional view Fig. 3, the opposed faces of the pocket have opposed recesses or depressions 3, and the insert, as shown in Figs. 3 and 4, has, upon its opposite sides, projections 4t which are adapted to iit into the recesses 3, when the insert is placed within the pocket. rlhe insert is thus securely held in position in the pocket by the interlocking engagement of the projections and recesses.

The end portion 2b of the pad has a perforation 5, adapted to receive a projection 6 en the insert D. This latter insert is round and tapers toward its edges, as shown. lt is placed in position by bending up the forward end of the insole so that it may be slipped under said end. The projection on the insert, engaging the opening 5 in the pad, holds the insert in place.

Although the pad is shown in the drawing as being composed of separate upper and lower layers, secured to the insole, the pad asy well as the inserts may be made from rubber molded to the proper shapes, or of any other moldable cushioning material. It will be understood that inserts of various thicknesses will be provided and that the central and forward portions of the pad may be adjustedy to any desired height by using inserts of suitable thickness.

The arch support of my invention is inexpensive to construct and the arrangement for locking the inserts in position prevents any possibility of displacement of the inserts while the device is in use. The pad not only supports the tarsus, or the central portion of the arch, but its prolongation toward the forward end of the insole also supports the metatarsus.

What I claim is:

l. An arch support comprising an insole, a pad of cushioning material extending longitudinally on the insole and having a pocket open at one side, the upper and lower walls of said pocket having opposed recesses, and a removable insert adapted to fit in said pocket, said insert having projections on its opposite sides adapted to engage said recesses.

2. An arch support comprising an insole, a pad of cushioning material extending longitudinally of the insole and adapted to gitudinally of the insole and having a pocket, 10 open at one side, a removable insert adapted to lit in the pocket and a removable insert adapted to fit under the forward end of the pad, said inserts having projections thereon, and said pad having openings to receive said 15 projections.

In testimony whereof I aix my signature. i

ROCCO CATERINI. 

